Pages

April 9, 2009

Diaz to fight Shamrock this weekend

Nick Diaz fights Frank Shamrock this weekend on Strikeforce's card and here is a short 5 minute bio about him and his training (thanks to Showtime). I really like Nick because he is tough, has amazing BJJ skills (the pic above is Diaz finishing Takanori Gomi last year with a GoGo Plata, in what many consider to be one of the best fights ever in MMA! Click here for the full video), and tells things how they are. Many consider him arrogant or an ass because of his outspoken attitude. But I feel a connection with him in that folks who tell things the way they are, are often outcast and shunned by the rest of society because the majority of people spend their lives like Ostriches.... with their heads in the sand! Most people do not want to hear anything that even closely resembles the truth and in the arena of MMA (or any combat sport really) that is all that is left at the end of the night; the truth.

That is the appeal of combat to the general public, unbridled, unsolicited, unwavering honesty! Two warriors fighting their hearts out in front of hundreds, thousands of people, putting it all on the line to see who is the better fighter that evening. Now sure their are many variables, and anyone is susceptible to a 'lucky shot,' but we tune in to watch two people try to impose their will, their intent, on someone to dominate them completely and come out on top saying "I was the better fighter today!"

Consider the level of heartbreak and subsequent downfall of boxing over the past decade! One of the largest sports in terms of viewers and participants worldwide, an Olympic sport! Yet when corruption hit (which it already is in MMA) people lost interest. Why? Because we no longer knew who REALLY was the better fighter at the end of the night! Joe Schmoe throws a fight to get the purse, yet we all walk away wondering if his opponent was really the more skilled combatant. This doubt creates boredom and eventually I lose interest in the sport and will not support it.

This Saturday Diaz will square off against Shamrock which will put an end to a long standing rivalry between the two camps of Shamrock and Cesar Gracie (Diaz's coach and mentor)! Personally I hope Shamrock gets his ass kicked (and I think Diaz will do it), as Frank has turned (perhaps always was) into the most arrogant piece of shit MMA has seen. His antics against Renzo were shameful. He expects everyone to bow down to him like he is special asking to be humble, yet exhibits no signs of letting go of his own ego anytime soon. This will be the beginning of the end of Shamrocks career.

(above pic: Nick greets Shamrock at weigh ins)

Tune in Saturday night for a late start (10pm PST) on Showtime for the fight that has a solid under card as well with Benji Raddich fighting (got a chance to train with him last December, and he is a top notch coach as well as a gentleman!), as well as Chris "Cyborg" Santos who is one of the most scary fighters I have ever seen man or woman! She takeson Hitomi Akano from Japanwhich will be a great bout with Cyborg most likely desimating Akano. Cyborg wants Gina Carrano (no, not that way guys;) like no other and rumor has it that if Cyborg wins it will cement a fight with Carano in the near future. Cyborg is a beast, and is one of my favorite female fighters to watch.

FYI for those who do not have Showtime...... just call Saturday morning and order it up on Comcast, then Sunday morning cancel it. You will only get charged a $2 change fee, plus the monthly rate prorated for how many days you used it! In the end it will be under $5! I need to call tomorrow to confirm, but I saw on TV the other day that they may be running a special on Showtime as well.